Hollow building wall



Jan. 9, l-945. w, RElczl-IERT- l-:rALA 2,366,752

. AHoLLow BUILDING WALL Filed No. 12. 1942 y,

y 2 Sheets-Sheet? l g, W/Llllwn/Rezlo Patented .lan..9, 1,945

.UNITED sil'xrigisl PATENT OFFICE william Reichert, Peter s. Pedersen, and raul E.

- Price, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 12, 1942, Serial No. 465,378

4 Claims. (Cl. 'l2-16) This invention relates to building blocks'or units and to building structures formed therefrom, and has for its generalobject to providev simple, inexpensive pre-formed building blocks or units which may readily and rapidly be assembled and positively united with one another by unskilled'labor and at low cost to readily and rapidly form strong, sturdy element-proof walls for dwellings, store houses and other build- 'ng structures without the use of' mortar, cement or mortar, cement or other plastic binding ma terial between the blocks or units.

lWith the foregoing general object in view, the

i invention consists in pre-formed building blocks or units, and in means for binding or tying them, together without the' use of mortar, cement or other plastic material, and in walls formed therefrom, all embodying the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and dened in the appended claims.

1n the accompanying drawings, wherein characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the dlerent views: ,Y

Fig. l is a front elevation of a wall erected from pre-formed blocks or units constructed in accordance with one practical'embodiment of the invention.

Fig..-2^is ahorizontal section` on thyme 2-2 30' formed:'In-addition; eachblock A has suitably of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale i through superimposed corner blocks or units of the invention.

Flg.4 is a horizontal section on the line' 4 4 35 ofFig.v3. i

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the' line 5 5 of Fig. 4. y

Fig. 6 isa perspective view of one of the corner blocks or units; and

Fig. 'z is e view waarnemers-maandag a l means alternative inform from the means shown .Ng Figs. 2 to 5 for securing the blocks or units in asemblywithpne another.

Referring to the ndrawings in detail, misi-with particular reference to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings, it 'will be observedthat in the construction of a wall-in accordance withthe invention only four different types of pre-formed bbeksorsunits are employed; viz., a corner block designated-generallyv as A; 'intermediate blocks designated senerally as B; semi-intermediate blocks designated senerally as C for use in defining the sides of window or door openings in instances where it may be desired to employv window sash orv doors which slide -laterally into the wall, and 'facing slabs designated generally as D for use between the blocks A, B and C.

The blocks A, B and C and the slabs D may be formed from concrete or any other suitable material in anyl suitable manner, and they may be of any desired dimensions. Preferably, however, they areall of the same height and preferably, too, the corner, intermediate and semi-intermediate blocks are equal in width. Moreover the corner, intermediate and` semi-intermediate blocks preferably are of hollow'construction, although they may be solid if desired. On the other hand, the slabs D preferably are of comparatively solid'construction and may be of any desired width or length.

The corner blocks A are duplicates of one an 4other and-each of them is of rectangular shape in elevation as well as in horizontal section.

Moreover, each of the two adjacent outer faces of each of said corner blocks is plain. On the other hand, each of the two remaining or inner adjacent faces of each of said corner blocks has formed therein apair'of channels lll, l0 which are of substantially V-shape in cross section and which extend from top to bottom of the block, the channels of each pair being laterally spaced apart and being located, preferably, one adjacent to each side of the inner face in whighthey are secured thereto and expod at each of its two adiacent inner faces, preferably midway between the sides thereof, two or more vertically spaced apart eye elements Il for a purpose which will later appear, the said eye elementsA being .provided, for'example, as shown in the drawings, by bending short-length pieces of metal rod into substantially V-shape and embedding the arms I2 of the rods in the concrete or other material i i from which the .block is formed, leaving the eyeforming bightportions of the rods exposed at the inner faces of the blocks. Alternatively, said eyes ll may be provided admay be secured to the blocks Ainany other suitable mannerrbutuin v any event they preferably are protected against damage during handling of the blocks 'by being located inwardly of the planes of the inner faces of 'the blocks and access to them isV afforded by depressions l! formed in Vsaid inner faces.

Y A't its top each block A is providedwith a centrally located, upward projecting portion Il the outer sides of which are spaced inwardly fromV the sides of the block, and if V the moeke A are hollow. as shown, the bottom of the'opening I5 and shape as the projection Il so that when a series of said blocks are superimposed upon one another the projection I4 at the top of eachblock ts into the bottom of the opening I5 in the block thereabove and thereby the blocks are held against shifting laterally with respect to one another. If, on the other hand,'the blocks A` are of solid construction, each of them is at least provided with a bottom recess to accommodate the projection I4 of the next lower block to hold the blocks against supercial lateral movement -relative to each other. The projections I4 and the openings. or recesses I5 which accommodate them preferably are of rectangular shape in cross section to insure proper orientation of the blocks relative to each other, but said projections and openings or recesses may be of any other cross sectional shape if desired.

Preferably' a channel I6 is formed in the top face of each block A in surrounding relationship to the projection I4 and preferably a downwardly projecting rib AII corresponding in size and shape tothe channel I6 is provided-on the bottom of each block A so that when a series of said blocks A are superimposed upon one another said ribs andchannels intert to assist the projections Id in providing element-tight joints between the ends of the blocks. Obviously, this arrangement might be reversed by providing ribs at the tops ofthe blocks and rib accommodating channels at the bottoms thereof. Obviously, too, a suitable' sealing compound may be employed between theends of the blocks A if desire The intermediate blocks `B are duplicates of one another and are, or may be, of the same construction as the corner blocks A, except that two opposite outer faces thereof, instead of two adjacent outer faces thereof as in the case of the corner blocks, are plain, and the two remaining opposite outer faces thereof are provided with channels corresponding to the channels lll ci the blocks A and with eye elements corresponding to the eye elements II of the blocks A. Since theintermediate blocks B are, or may be, of the same construction as-the corner blocks A, except y in each of them is of the same cross sectional size tical channel I8 corresponding to one of the channels I0 or Ina of a block A or B. Moreover, each block C'preferably, though not necessarily, is provided with a top projection and a bottom recess, as in the case of the blocks A-l and B so that when a series of said blocks C are superimposed upon one another they intert at their ends and thereby are held against superficial lateral sliding movement relative to one another. In addition, each block C is provided, at the narrower side face thereof in which the channel I8 is formed, with eye elements I9 corresponding to the eye elements II, I la of the blocks A and B.

, The slabs D are chamfered or are of substantially V-shape in cross section at theirends to iit'into the channels In, Illa and I8 of the blocks A, B and C, respectively, and each slab additionally is provided at its inner side and adjacent to its chamfered ends with eye elements 20 corresponding to the eye elements II, Ila.- and I9 of said blocks A, B and C, respectively. Further-A more, each slab D is provided at either its lower or its upper edge with a longitudinally extending rib 2| and in its opposite upper or lower edge with a channel 22 so that when a series of said slabs are superimposed upon one another said ribs and channels intert and provide tight joints between the said edges of said slabs.

In erecting a wall by means of the blocks A,.

" of the blocks A and B and the slabs D are laid in the particulars stated, the same reference Vcharacters,vyithtlie addition of the exponent a `are employed tddesigatetherparts ofV said blocks" yB corresponding to the described parts of the r blocks A. y

The semi-intermediate blocks C are equal in width to the blocks A and B, but in thickness "arelesser by asut'able' amount than one-half the vthickness ofsaid blocks A and' B so that when a pair of them are disposed with their outer faces spaced apart a distance corresponding to the thickness of the blocks A and B a spaceoi suitable width remains between them. Theselzlocllzs/--Mand`l la" C are used, as aforesaid, to denvth/s'ides of lwindow or dOOTOpIenings'in a wall in instances where it niiriesir''d to employ window sash or doors which slide laterally between closed and opened positions, the spaces between said blocks accommodating the yWindow-sash or doors when they are opened. "'However, ordinary swinging doors and vertically sliding window sash may be employed and in that casev the b locks C are unnecessary andm'ay be vdispensed with in favor of blocks in all respectsthe-same as the blocks A and B, except that they have three plain outer faces and channels in only one outer face thereof. Y

Each block C has three plain side faces and,

upon this foundation, blocks D being employed to define the sides of window orl door openings inl instances where it may bedesred to employ window sash or doors that slide laterally between closed and Aopened positions; otherwise, blocks B or, alternatively.- blocks similar to the blocks B but having three plain sides as mentioned, may be employed to dene the sides of window or door openings.

An erected ,wal1, devoid of window or door openings, may comprise only superimposed corner blocks A, superimposed intermediate blocks lB and inner and outer superimposed slabs C between the corner blocks A and the adjacent intermediate blocks B and, also betweengadjacent interniediatehlocksfBBAhenpper and lthelovsunN` ends of the blocks A and B being interfltted as described, the ribs and .recesses at the upper and lower edges of the slabs being intertted as described, the chamfered ends of the slabs being disposed in the vertical channels of the corner and the intermediate blocks, and the slabs being tied at their.ends to the corner and the intermediate blocks by means of tie wires 23 connecting the eye elements 2D with the eye elements Where, Afor example, a door or window opening is to be provided in a wall, the slabs D simply are omitted, and if it is desired to providewslots at the sides ofthe door or .window opening so that the door or window sash may slide laterally into the hollow wall space between the inner and the outer slabs, the blocks C are employed at the sides of the door-or window/opening, said blocks C and the ad-jacent endsof the related slabs D 'tervtting and being tied together by tie wires 24 engaged with the eye elements 20 of the slabs and the eye elements I9 of said blocks C.

Ii desired, the chamfered ends ci the slabsD may be blunted so that when-they are engaged in the channels I0, Ilia and I8 of the blocks A, B

in its remaining, narrower side face, a single vervand lC, spaces are left at the bottoms of said channels as shown in Fig. 4 wherein a suitable sealing compound may be used if desired.

' and providing in the blocks A, B and C channels to accommodate the chamfered ends of said slabs, and instead of employing eye elements and tie wires to secure the slabs D to the blocks A, B and C, the outer faces of said blocks maybe plain or lflat, the ends of the slabs may be flat to abut flatly against the plain orflat outer faces'of the blocks, and in the blocks may be embedded vertically extending, longitudinally slotted metal tubes having their slots opening through the outer faces of the blocks, while in the endportions of the-slabs may be embedded vertically extending metal plates having rolled or enlarged the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

We claim: 1. A building wall comprising spaced apart blocks, inner and outer spaced apart slabs between said blocks and at their ends abutting said blocks, and metallic elements in the space between said slabs extending diagonally between the latter and 1 said blocks and securing said slabs and blocks together. l

2. A building wall comprising spaced apart blocks having vertically disposed channels in their adjacent faces spaced apart transversely of the ends disposed beyond the flat end faces of the slabs to be engaged in the tubes of the blocks by vertical sliding movement of t eslabs relative to the blocks. The plates and tubes thus cooperate to fasten the slabs to the blocks in a simple,

v positive element-proof manner and any necessity wall, inner and outer spaced apart slabs between said blocks having their ends disposed in said channels, and tie Wires in the space between said slabs extending diagonally between the latter and Asaid blocks and fastening said slabs and blocks together.

3. A building wall comprising spaced apart blocks having laterally spaced apart vertically extending channels on adjacent faces thereof, inner and outer spaced apart slabs extending between said blocks and having their ends disposed in said channels, eye elements carried by said slabs at the inner sides thereof in spaced relationship to the ends thereof, other eye elements carried by said blocks and exposed at the said adjacent faces for the use of mortar, cement or other plastic binding' material between the ends of the slabs and the blocks thereby is avoided. Moreover,

the plates and tubes provide a .means whereby the slabs and -blocks may rapidly be assembled with each other in a secure, practical and eflicient manner at' low cost by unskilled labor. Such a construction is illustrated by way of example in Fig. 7 o f the drawings wherein a corner block, designated as A', has lembedded therein vertically extending, longitudinally slotted metal tubes designated as 24, and slabs, designated as D', have embedded in the ends thereof metal plates, designated as 25, which are provided with rolled ends 26 disposed in the tubes 24 whereby the slabs are securely held with their fiat ends abutting flatly against the alt outer faces of the corner block.

Without further description it is thought that thereof intermediate the channels thereof, and tie wires Iwithin the spaces between said slabs connecting the eyes of said slabs with the eyes of said blocks and tying said slabs and blocks together.

4. A building wall comprising spaced apart blocks, inner and outer spaced apart slabs disposed between said blockswith their ends abutting said blocks, and tie elements in the space between said slabs extending diagonally between the latter and saidA blocks, and acting in tension to hold said slabs against movement outwardly rela-y tiveto each other and also longitudinally away from said blocks.

WILLIAM REICHERT. PETER S. PEDERSEN. AUL E. PRICE. 

